Versaperm, which has over 30 years’ experience in designing and manufacturing permeability measurement equipment, has upgraded and broadened its array of measurement sensors – which now encompasses a very diverse set of physical measurement principals.

These numerous measurement techniques enable the equipment to be used across an unprecedented range of applications, and characterise an ever expanding range of materials, compounds, containers and laminates.

Permeability is critical in most real-life applications as it substantially affects properties such as the shelf life of pharmaceuticals and foods it also effects the physical performance of most materials. It controls the handle-ability, jamability and print quality of paper, the effectiveness of seals, the waterproofness of textiles – and it can even make missiles fail!
Manufacturing processes such as heating, forming and bending can easily change this permeability by a factor of x4! which means that results simply can’t usually be estimated from a material’s properties but must be measured directly. The Versaperm system also offers both single and multiple chamber options

Versaperm’s permeability meter is automated and its computerised control can cope with several samples at a time - and still produce a permeability measurement in as little as 30 minutes for some materials. It needs very little re-calibration and requires, at most, minimal training to give results that can be accurate to better than one part per million. Sensitivities depend on sensors and materials but are usually in the PPM range, PPB for some materials. Results are both accurate and highly repeatable.

Versaperm also offers a consultancy service for laboratories that need to measure permeability of complex new materials and assemblages.